The East Cornwall Mineral Railway

[rogerfarnworth]

I have posted this elsewhere but thought it might be of interest to those who follow this area of the Forum. ....

 

I have just enjoyed reading the first article in the May 1951 edition of The Railway Magazine. That article covered the East Cornwall Mineral Railway which started life as 3ft 6in narrow gauge line.

 

As a result I have spent a little time researching the line. This is the first of two planned posts about the line

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/03/26/the-east-cornwall-mineral-railway-part-1

 

 

[rogerfarnworth]

This is the second of two posts about the East Cornwall Mineral Railway, a 3ft 6in narrow gauge railway.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/03/28/the-east-cornwall-mineral-railway-part-2

 

In 1908, the line was superseded by a standard gauge line which ran from Bere Alston to Callington via Calstock and included a significant viaduct over the River Tamar at Calstock. The standard gauge branch line is still in use today in a truncated form.

 

This line will be the subject of a future post.

Edited March 31, 2019 by rogerfarnworth

[brianusa]

Fascinating stuff!  For those who know or remember the area, truly inspiring even for those not into old railways or mining.  While my main interest was the Liskeard and Caradon Railway and the area it served, I have made a few breathless climbs to the top of Kit Hill.  Across the river, Devon Great Consols, or the remains of it, was another venue of interest along with its railway to Morwelham Quay.  A friend at the time was at Cambridge so I learned a lot from his knowledge of this part of industrial Cornwall.

 

Brian.

[pb_devon]

Thank you Roger, a useful piece of research/collation of information.

To add to Brian’s comments, all the East Cornwall/West Devon disused lines make fascinating exploratory walks. 

There are many relics to see if you know where to look. (and I’m not talking about anyone looking at me!).

Paul

[rogerfarnworth]

To complete this short series of posts, I have produced a survey of the standard gauge branch that replaced the ECMR. Its one and only major structure is the Calstock Viaduct which remains in use in 2019 to carry the truncated branch-line to Gunnislake.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/04/02/the-bere-alston-to-callington-branch

 

This post also provides a little information about a possible reinstatement of the old line between Bere Alston and Tavistock.

[KeithMacdonald]

On 01/04/2019 at 08:19, pb_devon said:

Thank you Roger, a useful piece of research/collation of information.

To add to Brian’s comments, all the East Cornwall/West Devon disused lines make fascinating exploratory walks. 

There are many relics to see if you know where to look. (and I’m not talking about anyone looking at me!).

Paul

 

+1

 

Last summer, we found a very pleasant walk that included some of the disused line. Parked the car at Cotehele Quay, did a two hour circular walk to the north.

 

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/50.4977/-4.2193

[rogerfarnworth]

I am planning a week in the area in the Autumn and hope that further railway routes and walks will get planned over coming months.